Chapter Two

"I guess those of us who had written down their names are not in their right minds eh." Dane playfully jokes as he took a spoonful of salad laughing.

"Yea, since I heard that story, I really wanted to check it out ever since." Larry Pearson said sitting next to Helena who gawks at him like he was insane.

"What?." 

"Nothing Larry." Helena said taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"Look guys, the only reason am going to that stupid trip is that I get an A+ in history and math." Ezra said not surprising anyone in particular, they all knew if Ezra signed up for anything there must be something in return for him.

"Yea but I didn't even thought you would write yours down." Hayley Hathaway, the best student in almost all courses in the school drops in on the quadrangular group chat, "Sorry for dropping in." She apologies holding a tray of food in her hand.

"Seeing is better than hearing." Ezra took a bite from his meat pie

"No problem Hayley, you didn't say a word today in class. Why's that?." Dane asked her but she chose to ignore him.

Dane though being the spoilt brat in the school, has a very big crush in his best friend's twin sister, everyone knows that but Hayley appears not to be interested in him. She's just hanging out with the gang because of her brother who apparently is absent in school today.

"Where's Alec?. I don't really see him as the type who'd skip a day in class." Helena asked Hayley who just sighs.

"He's in clean up duty for hitting a guy over me this morning when we arrived." She told the group.

"He's always very over protective of you, lemme guess. This guy in question touched your butt." Helena said and looked at her boyfriend, Larry whom again had to ask her why she was staring at him like that.

"I wouldn't blame the guy though." Ezra spoke out suddenly, earning a mean stare by Hayley. "No, no. It's not like that. I mean you're a very very beautiful girl and every guy who'd kill to have you, hell even me though." He sweetly said making Hayley to give out a big warm smile on her face, Dane is angry as he saw Ezra had made Hayley smile instead of him, he in fact can't deny that he felt the strings of jealousy running through his veins at that moment.

Hayley noticed it but still chose to ignore him.

She wasn't ready for any relationship and that fact she had tried so many hard to make the boys especially Dane to understand.

Ezra on the other hand is warming closely to her and she knew because he's the jovial type, always trying to make her smile and to keep her company anytime he has the chance, unlike Dane, she thought, he's almost the opposite of her brother and she wondered how they became best of friends.

"It's beautiful." Ezra said smiling at Hayley.

"What's beautiful?." Hayley couldn't help but to ask.

"You wanna know what's beautiful?." He smirked and dipped his spoon in his food then took a spoonful of his rice.

"Yes Ezra, I would like to know." The group is staring at both of them but Hayley didn't care.

"Of all the beautiful curves on your body, your smile is the most beautiful one and my favorite." He commented and Larry and Helena started laughing, Dane however tried to keep his head down so neither of his friends could see he was pissed off. 

"Claire, come sit with us." Hayley called Claire over as she saw her getting her own food.

"Thanks Hayley but I think I'd like to be on my own." Claire politely declines Hayley's offer, Hayley understood why Claire rejected her offer, last time she did, she got insulted by Dane and Helena and to her guess, she's trying to avoid being embarrassed again.

Hayley nodded and smiled then watched her walk up to Some of their classmates.

Lunch break was over and everyone is back to their class ready for the day's end including Alec Hathaway.

Mrs Gloria is taking them on geography and some of the students suddenly finds her class to be boring, each all thinking about the upcoming trip to the dreaded Forest.

Dane and the rest had filled Alec in on the trip and was surprised when he said he wasn't going with them. 

All through the class Joseph was watching Claire who is secretly looking at Alec.

________

Principal Badminton's Office.

"Are you sure about this 

Jack, I mean according to you Bear forest is a place where no one in their right minds has willingly ventured into." Principal Badminton ask, concerned.

"Yes, that's why we would provide security it was the kids that even suggested it." Mr. Daniels explained.

Principal Badminton though wasn't happy with the idea but didn't really have any reason to stop the kids and if Bear forest is as deadly as the kids thought it would have been on the papers even with the 'supposed' twenty five tourists that died and obviously the government will have investigated it and warn people about the forest.

"Well, if that's what your class wants then I'll start funding for the transport and food and the security."

"Yea, and if we did find anything about what really happened to the twenty five tourists then this school and the students will be popular around the globe." Mr. Daniels commented and stands up ready to leave.

"Look, Jack, though I'm providing security but the children are in your care so if anything happens to any of them, I and their parents would hold you responsible." Principal Badminton said and Mr. Daniels nodded his head before stepping out of the principal's office.

________

SATURDAY.

"Miller?." A voice blares over the phone waking up a sleeping Callum.

"Agent Callum Miller on the line, who am I speaking with?." Callum said yawning quietly.

"You from Homeland security?." The voice which sounded like man's voice asked over the receiver.

"Yea, how can I help you?." Callum said getting up from his bed.

"Well my name is Adam Badminton and I got your number from Inspector Lee." Principal Badminton spoke out.

"Okay so how can I help you Mr. Badminton." Callum said trying not to say much.

"Please, I was referred to you for security." He said.

"Okay, who am I gonna secure, a group of students in my school." Principal Badminton explained.

"Why would a bunch of students need security guard for?." Callum asked, obviously surprised as well as wondering.

"Kings Colleges' planning a school Expedition to Bear forest and we need you to accompany them." Badminton sounded like he wasn't really into the Expedition idea, some of the kids parents agreed to it, at least Bear forest is an urban legend, story meant to scare kids at night.

"Okay, speak to my superiors first then we can talk." Callum said preparing to get into the bathroom. 

"Already did, and after my call, your lead Agent will call you so we are waiting in the department." Badminton said and the call went dead.

True to what Adam Badminton said, his lead agent's call came through and without wasting a second, he picked up and places the phone on his left ear.

After a brief discussion, the call ended and he quickly took his bath in matter of minutes.

______________

Twenty one minutes later.

****

"You're late Agent Miller." Lead Agent Mari Ramon said as Agent Miller entered the council. 

"Sorry about that Lead Agent. I was kinda stuck." Callum didn't think of anything to say.

"Sit down." Agent Ramon pointed at a sit close to a bald headed man whom Callum guessed was the Adam Badminton he had spoke on phone with earlier.

"So down to busy, Agent Miller, Mr. Badminton wants to hire you for security."

"So I've heard. When?." Callum said but undoubtedly disappointed, he loves his job but being a security guard for some rich kids is like babysitting and he hates babysitting.

"Monday, you leave with them at nine in the morning." Agent Ramon said, Callum didn't say anything else, he just nodded, it was an order from his superior and to his guess, his payment has been made.

Though he surprises him why he was needed to 'babysit' some teens into Bear forest, why? Was the question but right there, he was in no position to ask any questions. All he had to do is his job, he was after all, one of the best Homeland security agent in the agency.

He felt Badminton is hiding something from his superiors, he just would like what is in Bear Forest that demands teens to go there, he will make his research on his own.